Al Pacino wishes he had won an Oscar for Scarface. Directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone as a remake of the 1932 film of the same name, and in turn based on the 1930 novel by Armitage Trail, the 1983 crime drama follows Cuban refugee Tony Montana, who arrives in Miami without money during the Mariel boatlift and rises to become a notorious drug kingpin. Al Pacino leads Scarface's cast as Tony Montana alongside Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia, Míriam Colón, and F. Murray Abraham.

During a recent interview with BBC Today (via Deadline) promoting his new book Sonny Boy, Al Pacino named Scarface as the movie he wishes he'd won an Oscar for. The actor expressed that he would have been happy just to have been nominated for his role in that film. Read his full comment below:

I would have liked to have even got nominated for that one.

What Al Pacino's Comment Means For Scarface

He Thinks His Performance Was Snubbed

Before Scarface in 1983, Al Pacino had been nominated for an Academy Award five times, but did not win, for his performances in The Godfather, Serpico, The Godfather Part II, Dog Day Afternoon, and And Justice for All. Though he thought he should have won for Scarface, Pacino was nominated two more times for Dick Tracy and Glengarry Glen Ross before he won his first Oscar a decade later for Scent of a Woman. However, many believe, including Pacino himself, that he was perhaps more deserving for other roles.

Pacino's comment means that he believes he should have won an Oscar for Scarface. Despite his distinguished career, he feels his performance in the film was somewhat overlooked. Pacino immortalized Tony Montana and made the line "Say hello to my little friend" iconic. However, Scarface was entirely overlooked by the Academy. That year, Robert Duvall (Tender Mercies), Michael Caine (Educating Rita), Tom Conti (Reuben, Reuben), Tom Courtenay (The Dresser), and Albert Finney (The Dresser) were nominated instead, which were all strong performances, but none as memorable and iconic as Al Pacino as Tony Montana.

Our Take On Why Al Pacino Was Snubbed For Scarface

The Movie Initially Premiered To Negative Reviews

In 1983, Scarface initially premiered to negative reviews from critics for its excessive violence, profanity, and explicit depiction of drug use, with some Cuban expatriates in Miami criticizing it for its portrayal of Cubans as criminals and drug dealers. However, over time, critics have reassessed the movie, with many now considering it one of the best gangster movies ever made. Pacino's performance as Tony Montana is the main reason for that, and while it was subbed by the Academy at the time, many share in the actor's opinion today.

Source: Deadline